Mages and Seekings
What a Seeking is, and does A Seeking ''is the mystical challenge between mage and avatar that allows him to gain enlightenment and understanding of the universe (Arete). A Seek ing grants a mage additional Arete, which gives him the capability to roll more dice for magical effects and learn higher levels of Spheres, in game terms. It can, in some cases, give him an in-character reason to buy off Flaws and make other changes, as well. . Requirements for Raising Arete ''The first and most important requirement for a Seeking is that the mage has to have developed ICly to a point where he is on the verge of a breakthrough, or beginning to have a major sea change in his mindset, his approach to the world, and/or his magic. *Every Seeking is, in essence, rewiring your psyche to attune it more closely to the universe itself. This is not a small undertaking. *Every Seeking requires first that the player have the necessary XP on hand. *A Seeking costs (current Arete x 10) XP. *In addition, the Mage must meet other requirements listed below. Undergoing a Seeking Apply to the Mage ST for approval Mail imc.dusk@gmail.com with the following: *What level of Arete you wish to attain *What your character has done and learned to merit a mystical journey of this sort *Which, if any, Flaws you wish to buy off in the process *Some details about your personal journey as a mage, paradigm, and the like. This is the first step, and must be completed before any other action may be taken. . . Requirements All Seekings require the following, at a minimum, before they may be undertaken: *Appropriate RP development as described above *An application for a Seeking that is approved by Chance, written as described above *Willpower of (Arete+2), minimum 5 *Knowledge of (Arete+2) different Spheres of magic *Awareness of 1 or more . Adept Seeking Requirements Arete 4 Seekings require, at a minimum: *Appropriate RP development as described above *An application for a Seeking that is approved by Chance, written as described above *A 3 in at least two Spheres *Willpower 6 minimum *Knowledge of 6 Spheres of magic at 1+ *Awareness 2 . Master Seeking Requirements Arete 5 Seekings require, at a minimum: *Appropriate RP development as described above *An application for a Seeking that is approved by Chance, written as described above *Requires a 4 in at least three Spheres *Willpower 7 minimum *Knowledge of 7 Spheres of magic at 1+ *Awareness 3 *This is a ST or PM-run Seeking only .. How to play out a Seeking Mechanics of the Seeking A Seeking can either be done in a long solo MB post (for any Arete up to 4), or as a ST-run miniplot. Both of these have the same net result of allowing you to possibly gain Arete. *If it is to be ST-run, it needs to have additional detail in the application to allow the ST to design something that fits your character. *If it is MB-posted, the seeking post must be approved by the ST before you can buy the new dot of Arete. You can only do MB Seekings for Arete up to 4. . Plot and Character Elements of a Seeking Every Seeking follows a pretty basic framework, as follows: *The Mage and his Avatar assess the current situation. *The Mage is presented with a challenge that ties into the things he has learned, and the path he hopes to continue taking *The Mage acts as he thinks best, trying to resolve the challenge. *The outcome of his actions gives the mage potential insight, which he must understand in order to progress. The reason that the ST must approve the Seeking is to ensure that the Mage really has ''learned something, and that the challenge is appropriately difficult for the level of Arete he wishes to gain. . Appropriate Difficulty of a Seeking '''The first two Seekings (Arete 2 and 3) '''are generally ''personal ''in scope -- they deal with refinement of self, perfecting one's own being, and overcoming one's mortal and human limitations on a smaller level. Seekings beyond Arete 3 become broader in scope and more challenging. They are often painful and hard to cope with for days afterward. Each dot above Arete 3 should add another layer of complexity and difficulty, and the issues addressed can, and should, shake the very foundations of the Mage's beliefs about himself and the universe. '''Arete 4 Seekings '''should address things of broader scope, as this is the 'break point' between personal growth and more cosmic growth. His views and perceptions should become broader and less limited by the narrow-minded views of a single human being. He should begin at this point to think on a more global level about his actions and choices, and the Seeking should reflect this. '''Arete 5 Seekings' are a step beyond this, even. They are the Seekings that allow one to attain Mastery, and as a result, they should show that the Mage has gained enlightenment on that level. These challenges should be potentially lethal to the mage, even if they occur in a mindscape. Note that all Seekings can hurt or kill you in the real world, even if their events occur only inside your psyche. Arete 6+ is the level at which a character has really transcended playability within a game of this sort. . Some Seekings, for Reference For the sake of having some examples to draw upon when creating a Seeking, here are some examples of past approved Seekings. *Carl Trask, Arete 5 - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 (May 2011) *Casey Brandon Hammersmith, Arete 5 - Part 1, Part 2... (May 2011) *Deacon Preston, Arete 4 (April 2011) *Deltia Hudson, Arete 4 (April 2012) *Eve Ulfar, Arete 4 (May 2012) *Jeremiah Sinclair, Arete 4 (May 2011) . Category:Mage Category:Mage Category:House Rules Category:Arete Category:Seekings